Alexandria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) has released two final reports on the results of an April 2012 workshop for a cohort made up of underrepresented minority individuals seeking careers in academia. The workshop was hosted by AGI and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) to disseminate information about opportunities available to future geoscience faculty from member societies, the federal government and by developing campus leadership. Over a 13-month period participants were polled on questions related to how they engaged these entities and what impact the workshop had on their professional development.

The workshop had a positive effect on attendees in the short and long term. In Currents #75 and #76, AGI focuses on the results of workshop sessions tailored to exposing the attendees to federal-level resources, to resources that professional societies provide and to the leadership opportunities for those pursuing academic careers. Evaluation of the workshop investigated the impact of these sessions on participants' professional development. Attendees were surveyed to determine if their behavior had changed from before to 13-months after the workshop.

The American Geosciences Institute is a nonprofit federation of geoscientific and professional associations that represents more than 250,000 geologists, geophysicists and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geosciences education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment.

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